Weeping Willows: A Thrilling Mystery Novella (Dark Desires Book 1) (2 page)

- Chapter 2
-

Her heart was beating really fast, sweat trickled
down her face as she ran through the tall grass. The ground was
muddy and crawly insects stung her ankles. Her shoes were soaked
through and she kept falling into the sticky mud. Cuts and bruises
marking her face as she ran wildly in despair. She could hear him
now, closing in on her. She tried to brush her wet matted hair out
of her eyes with very little success. Blindly, wildly running
through the thick foliage. She could feel the blood pounding in her
head as she tried to think through the fog clouding her mind. Cold
and drenched she ran on. She could hear him closing in, his
footsteps loud in the thick crunching leaves matting rough
terrain.

She bit her hand to stifle the scream rising to her
throat. Despair, fear and the instinct to survive was pushing her
on to search for refuge. Suddenly to her right she saw a clearing
with an old farmhouse up ahead. She raced on with legs bleeding
towards it. Help was just out there. She could make it. She heard a
loud dizzying sound before she felt the impact of excruciating pain
as her beautiful green eyes opened wider as realization dawned on
her.

Her fingers slowly felt the sticky warm heat in her
belly and in that split second her hands were dripping with the
blood that oozed from within. She fell with a hard thud.

- Chapter 3
-

Static was what Suzie awoke to from her deep
slumber. She became aware that she had been so tired that she had
dozed off for quite a while. Her empty teacup lay fallen face down
on the rug, rubbing her sleepy eyes she glanced at the clock on the
side table.

It was 3.30 am, she'd been asleep for quite a while,
uncurling her legs she slowly rose to her feet, switched off the
telly on her way to bed. Melly had still not come home. Suzie did a
quick sweep of the house checking that all doors and windows were
locked. Switching off the lights she flared at her cell phone,
Melly had still not called.

She told herself that she probably stayed the night
at Craig's apartment because of the storm. She'd see her
tomorrow.

- Chapter 4
-

Sunlight spilled through the lacy curtains dancing
on Suzie's face. She opened her eye lazily and stretched her arms
over her head, pushing back the bedcovers, she walked over to the
window, the landscape had been washed anew, opening the window she
took a deep breath into her lungs, Suzie loved the mornings.

It was very special in the
countryside and this was her quiet time. She slipped into her warm
fluffy slippers and shuffled off to the bathroom, switching on her
radio first. A quick visit to the loo and she unscrewed the cap of
her toothpaste quickly brushing her pearly teeth, ran her fingers
through her tangled hair, humming the tune of “
It's my life. . .
” she walked into
the kitchen switching on the kettle, making her coffee and
toast.

Looking at the clock Suzie
realized that she still had an hour, enough time to shower, dress
and head off to campus. Picking up her cellphone, she placed a call
to Melissa. The message began, “
the
subscriber you have dialed is not available. . .
” Suzie shrugged to herself tossing the phone on the table.
She'd catch up with Melly later at English Lecture.

Dressed in a fitted calf length black skirt,
matching white silk blouse, tightly fitted leather waisted jacket,
ankle boots completed her ensamble and she headed to campus. Suzie
admitted to herself she was looking pretty cool today even if she
thought so herself. She inwardly laughed at herself at the thought
as her boots clicked on the sidewalk. She ignored the cat whistles
from some of the guys chatting on the benches. She headed to her
first lecture for that day, keeping an eye out for Melly.

By midday, Melissa was still missing in action,
Suzie headed to the cafeteria she probably would find Melly and
Craig there having their lunch as they sometimes did. Surprisingly,
there was no sign of Melissa however Craig was standing in a corner
with that moody dark look that was not uncommon to him. Suzie
called out to him and waved from across but he seemed so distracted
and deep in thought.

He looked up, heard Suzie and with a slightly
guarded look walked over to her. They greeted each other and she
asked Craig where Melly was, looking away he answered her a little
hesitantly that Melly and him had gotten into an argument
yesterday. It was over some silly thing about a movie and he hadn't
seen her since. She'd stormed off. Alarmed, Suzie told Craig that
she had been calling Melly repeatedly since yesterday and she had
assumed that they had been together.

A worried frown lined Craig's face, he told Suzie
that he had also tried calling her but assumed that he was still in
the dog box. He had been certain that she'd gone home. Both of them
looked at each other horrified that no one had seen or hear from
Melissa since yesterday. A sick gnawing feeling settled in the pit
of Suzie's stomach, something was horribly wrong here!

She and Craig immediately split up and decided to
query around on the whereabouts of Melissa from friends and
students at the campus. A short while later of searching the
grounds they began calling Melissa's parents and friends in
Rosewood Creek to find out if they knew where she was. It became
apparent that Melly was missing. Craig appeared to be the last
person to see Melissa.

It was now 24 hours and Melissa's
dad and mum agreed to meet at the police station. Craig and Suzie
were met by Uncle Frank and Aunt Lizzie, who was crying
hysterically on her husband's shoulder. Being a retired detective
himself Uncle Frank was very familiar with the procedure. He left
Aunt Lizzie in Suzie's care and marched off to file the missing
persons report. Both she and Craig were interviewed by the police
and asked to be available as they tracked Melissa. They were
informed that they could leave. Suzie and Craig were dumbstruck,
they could not believe that this was happening. Questions flitted
through their minds.
Where was
Melissa?
It appeared as if she had
disappeared into thin air.

Parting ways, Suzie numb with shock and Craig
nervously anxious as he recalled how the police had harassed him as
he had been the last person to see her. Uncle Frank had never
really liked Craig and he made Craig feel extremely uncomfortable
at the station. Craig remembered how he kept giving him those
questioning looks. Even Suzie had noticed that Uncle Frank was
treating Craig like a suspect.

The atmosphere had been loaded
with tension. Even as he consoled and comforted his wife through
all the paperwork being filed. Suzie had been surprised at how
efficient he had become. Being a quiet man, he controlled the
entire situation. This was a nightmare, Suzie could never have
imagined that she would be searching for her best friend when she
had awoken this morning. Sure, she had thought that it was a bit
strange that Melissa hadn't called her but never in a million years
could she have imagined that this would be happening. Horrific
thoughts raced through her mind. “
Oh God,
please let Melly be okay and please let them find
her.
”, she prayed silently.

- Chapter 5 -

A search party ensued. The police were already
combing the countryside of Rosewood Creek, but as of yet no
Melissa. She appeared to be have disappeared off the face of the
earth.

Miles and miles of road stretched ahead. Loud
country music blared from the car radio. Thick forest like
vegetation lined both side of the road. The truck moved on, the man
reaching into his cubby for the pack of cigarettes, quickly
lighting it up and took in a quick puff, while his thoughts
flitted. He'd been doing so well kicking the smoking habit until
now with the stress of recent events had proven too much.

A sudden fork in the road appeared, one leading
directly to Rosewood Creek while the other leading to Hanover miles
away. As he drove towards Hanover for another hour the turn into
the dirt track suddenly appeared. He had almost missed it. He
quickly turned right and swung the vehicle onto the beaten gravelly
track. The truck bumping on the loose rocks as he made his way down
the winding land.

Tall pine trees outlining the horizon, he opened the
window to inhale the fresh pine scent. It was heavenly, this
untouched land. He looked up ahead at the thin, grey spirally
smoke. In the distance, up ahead stood the large study farmhouse
that he'd grown to love. It brought a feeling of coming home. Its
location isolated from prying eyes. He could now smell the wood
smoke emanating from the chimney.

It felt comforting. He made a quick turn into the
pathway leading up to the farmhouse. Switching of the truck, he sat
for a few minutes gathering his thoughts. He hadn't told Emma that
he would be coming. She would be surprised that he had made a trip
out. He needed to get his story straight.

Arriving at the farmhouse without calling right in
the middle of a semester, Emma was definitely going to have a go at
him, she'd nag endlessly. He would have to take it in his stride. A
lot had happened these past few weeks. His nerves were shot to
hell. The police were grilling him mercilessly. He'd kept cool.
Nobody needed to know about his past. It was left buried. His life
and future depended on it.

- CHAPTER 6 -

The light in the window went out. The cottage looked
deserted but the man knew better. She was probably settling down
for the night. The stillness was unusual even for her. He'd been
watching from a distance as he always did. She'd looked so forlorn
and lost, he noticed the deep black shadows beneath her eyes. Her
friends’ disappearance was taking its toll. He'd expected that.

He believed in his heart that it was necessary. He
thought that she of all people should be happy to be rid of someone
troublesome. He felt that he had done her a huge favor. God knew,
the green eyed witch had been an obstacle. He had dealt with her
effectively and with her out of the way, the girl would be all
his.

He'd been waiting for a long time, a very long time.
It would be soon now. Of that he was sure. He got into the vehicle
feeling elated at how well things were going for him. Cloaked in
the security of darkness, his mind began racing, plotting, making
plans on his next move. He considered himself superior, very smart,
he'd covered his tracks very well. It would be a few more days
before she would be found. That bought him some time, a sleepy
town's law enforcement moved at a snail’s pace in keeping with
their laid back lifestyle.

He whistled to his favorite tune feeling enormously
pleased with himself. He had plans alright, major plans. A wicked
smiled tilted at the corners of his mouth as he glanced at himself
in the rearview mirror. He thought of himself as brilliant, a
master of his own destiny!

- CHAPTER 7 -

Hard thumps sounded from very far
away. Why didn't the banging stop. Her head hurt, all she wanted to
do was sleep but the thudding went on. Dragging herself from the
mist of deep sleep, Suzie jumped up realizing that the pounding was
coming from her front door. She pushed at the bed covers quickly
slipping on her bathrobe as she raced bare feet to the front door.
Who on earth could that be? She carefully opened the door keeping
the chain still hinged and looked out. Two police officers stood
there, with a guarded expression on their face.
“Suzanne Edwards?”
they
enquired.
“Yes.”
she answered hesitantly. “
We're
sorry to disturb you at such an ungodly hour,
” said one of the officers. Producing their badges, holding
it up, the younger officer asked,
“may we
please come in Miss? It's important!”
Suzie unlocked the door to let in the officers. Her heart was
pounding wildly, she felt nausea and bile rush to her throat.
“
Have you found Melly?”
she quickly asked. The officers looked
uncomfortable as they glanced at each other trying to avoid meeting
her eye. The older officer who introduced himself as Sergeant
Williams stepped forward, pulled off his cap and looked Suzie in
the eye as he said,
“Miss, we regret to
inform you that there has been a car crash and we believe it is
your parents Jonathan and Judy Williams. We're sorry but we need
you to accompany us for a proper certification.”

There was a buzzing in her ears as the room appeared
to be spinning, she felt like she'd been punched really hard in the
belly. She felt arms grab her as she slipped slowly into the deep
dark blackness. As Suzie came back to consciousness, she was aware
of the two officers standing over her with sympathetic looks. She
sat up shakily, questions filling through her mind. One of the
officers apologetically asked if she was okay, if she needed
something to drink. Suzie refused, feeling shell shocked. She asked
them to wait, walking like a zombie she headed to the bathroom
quickly washing and dressing. The officers whisked her into the
backseat of the patrol car. Her world had just crashed forever.
First Melly and now her dear loving parents. The world as she knew
it had been altered irrevocably. She felt devastated. The policemen
informed her that a vehicle had crashed into her parents car
killing them instantly on impact. The driver had fled the scene
abandoning his vehicle. The registration plates appeared to be
false. That was all they knew for now. The police were hopeful that
the perpetrator would be found. Suzie felt a torrent of mixed
emotions. What kind of animal would do such a thing? It was
appalling that any human being could be so heartless and cruel to
her kind, sweet and innocent parents and leave them to die.